GAL Dubai — Restaurant in Dubai

Dear GAL Restaurant Team,

I hope this message finds you well. As a fervent admirer of your establishment, I felt compelled to share my recent experience visiting from Riyadh specifically to enjoy the dining and atmosphere that GAL is renowned for. My affection for your restaurant is profound, and it is with respect and sincerity that I present my feedback.

On a recent visit to your restaurant around 11:30, my companions and I were excited about the prospect of enjoying a meal at your esteemed establishment. However, our anticipation encountered a setback right at the outset. The greeting upon our arrival did not meet the warm welcome we had come to expect based on your stellar reputation. While I understand the necessity of maintaining a certain dress code, what transpired next struck me as deeply unsettling and not reflective of the values and hospitality GAL is known for.

I was informed that my attire, a traditional Argentinian outfit, was deemed inappropriate for your setting. Accepting this with respect for your house rules, I decided against entering. Surprisingly, a companion of mine, dressed in casual attire as per attached evidence, was also critiqued for his appearance and advised his clothing was not up to standard, which was perplexing given the casual nature of his outfit.

More distressing, however, was the manner in which my clothing was singled out. Comments insinuating that my attire might be suitable "maybe for the next World Cup" due to its perceived inadequacy were both unnecessary and demeaning. Such remarks, rather than the dress code policy itself, were what I found most hurtful and detrimental to my evening.

I am reaching out not to dispute your dress code, but to express my hurt over the tone and manner in which the situation was handled. It pains me that an establishment I hold in high regard could leave me feeling ostracized over something as personal as my cultural attire. I would kindly ask that you review the camera footage around the time we arrived to see for yourselves the interaction and consider how situations like this can be improved in the future.

My intention in writing is not to castigate but to highlight an area where empathy and understanding could be fostered. As staunch advocates for your restaurant, my sole aim is to ensure that the spirit of inclusivity and respect for diverse cultures that GAL is known for continues to be upheld.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter and hope to continue supporting GAL restaurant in the future under happier...

Gal Dubai is a well-known restaurant, but it did not meet our expectations, especially considering its reputation. My partner booked a table for my birthday dinner, but we encountered several issues from the very beginning.

It all started with the dress code. We didn’t know that women had to wear a dress that covers the shoulders and thighs. That was our mistake, but after a short trip to Dubai Mall, we managed to buy a jacket that allowed us to enter the restaurant. It turned out that this was just one of many misunderstandings that evening.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were a bit surprised. First of all, despite having a reservation, the hostess informed us that we had a maximum of 1 hour and 15 minutes to eat, although earlier, another person assured us that the reservation would be honored. Fortunately, thanks to the intervention of the security guard, who overheard the earlier conversation, we were allowed to stay at the table for 2 hours, but the atmosphere was tense from the very start.

The restaurant was empty – very few tables were occupied, yet they were making a big issue out of the reservations. We waited, but we didn’t see a crowd of guests, which raised some doubts. After a while, we noticed that the dress code rules were selective – my partner couldn’t take off her jacket, even though other women in similar outfits were not treated the same way. This was really embarrassing.

However, the dinner itself was good, and the atmosphere of the restaurant was impressive. Unfortunately, the email request for a small birthday cake went unanswered. Moreover, we were asked to leave the table, even though there were empty tables available. The couple sitting next to us, who had been there after us, didn’t receive the same information, even though our bill amounted to 2100 AED and theirs was probably half of ours. This whole situation was very unprofessional and completely ruined our experience.

After vacating the table and going for pictures, we noticed that our table and many others remained empty for a long time. The guest service was at a very low level, and for me, this means I will never return to this restaurant nor recommend it to anyone.

In conclusion, I strongly advise against visiting this place. It’s much better to choose other restaurants that treat their guests with...

Ive been to GAL multiple times as a walk in for drinks and it has always been a great experience which is why I thought I would try it for dinner. Sadly, I was appalled with my experience right from the moment of booking where the staff feels compelled to rudely repeat one too many times that there is a minimum spend of AED 400 per person and that your table is reserved for two hours so please make sure you leave by this time. And they go on repeating this like a broken record multiple times at the time of reservation and then again when they call you for a confirmation on the day which is totally over the top unacceptable and I would even say, rude behavior. Then, as if things cant get worse, when you arrive GAL, rest assured the staff at the door will remind you once again to please remember to leave within 2 hours - I mean c’mon! You have not even started your night and the staff feels like ruining your mood right at the outset. The staff is clearly wet behind the ears and the bad experience continues with waiters having little to no knowledge about the food and drinks on the menu and also struggling to comprehend and follow pretty basic instructions e.g. please chill the glass (not a complicated instruction but took us a while to make them understand simple instructions such as this). The waiters have not even been taught etiquettes and my wife’s appetizer course wasn’t even finished and they asked me if they could serve my main course. It all felt like they were trying to rush us and the funny part is that when you actually do want to order something, at that time, it is hard to get timely attention because they are more focused on cleaning tables, than on serving customers. And now my friends the pièce de résistance, the restaurant was empty! Not only was it empty when we arrived at 8:30pm but more than half of it was still empty when we left exactly at 10:30pm since after all, the staff had made it crystal clear that oh, please do not stay beyond two hours and spend more money, the restaurant would rather have empty tables it seems, than to serve customers. My message to the owners is as follows: you have a great place and pretty good food, however, you need intense training of your staff and you can greatly increase footfall. Meanwhile, I think I’ll stick to being a walk in for...